Beyond the Shield || Chris Evans

02 || Real Life

One Year Later. Malibu California

Chris Evans wondered around his apartment again and again looking at his phone. Looking at the memories of what was and what they had been hiding.
For the past year it had a secret, it had been a lie that something was coming back to him. That she was coming back to him.
Chris lit another cigarette pacing once more.
"That isn't gonna help a thing."
Chris stopped turning back to see Scarlett walking out of his back room. "I thought you were still sleeping."
"I cant sleep with you just stumping around like you have a problem. Everything ok?"
"I don't know, I mean the Summer Bash is tonight. I don't know if I want to go."
"Elsa and Chris miss you, she would love to see you at their place."
He leans against the counter looking back at her, "She left me at the hospital with nothing and now she is back with Harlow?"
"Harlow is a low life piece of shit. Don't worry about her, I mean really ignore both and have fun."
Chris looks back at her, "Just ignore the girl I wanted to marry?"
"Exactly, you have me." Scarlett grins walking away from him with her new ring shining bright."
"Perfect." He rolled his eyes  looking down at the bruise on his arm that showed up over night.

——

Harlow Montgomery stood outside her bathroom looking over her nails. "You know this is bullshit."
Sebastian Stan walked out in his towel, "Babe this wasn't my choice."
"She shouldn't be breathing!"
"Hey, easy, she needed a friend and he unfortunately answered his phone."
"And he just what, unfortunately asked her to marry him?"
Sebastian turned back to face her, "i cant control him. When Brooklyn left, he just shifted his life from us babe. He knew you and her were talking but he didn't know how much."
Harlow crossed her arms, "I only just started talking to her two months ago. I haven't seen Brooklyn in over a year Sebastian."
"We know that babe but he didn't and he was hurt."
"And what back to the fucking psycho bitch."
Sebastian grinned back at her, "Easy babe, your little vein in your neck is popping."
Harlow rolled her eyes walking away from him, "What the hell am I to say to her tonight?"
"Just smile and walk away from her."
"Can't you just push her from their back porch?'
"She isn't worth 25 years babe."
Harlow turns back to him grabbing the door, "Am I worth 25 years?"
"You are worth a lifetime sweets."
She grins back at him looking down at his feet, "I still don't like that we have to go tonight."
"Hemsworth wants us there. He is still a good friend and he got us out of that shit at the hospital babe."
Harlow leans her head against the door frame, "Yea, the hospital."
"Go get dressed babe, its gonna be a long night."
Harlow nods her head leaving him alone in their room.
Sebastian walks over grabbing his phone looking down seeing a message from him.
Chris - hey are you coming tonight
Sebastian sits down on the bed looking back at the door hearing Harlow laugh then make her way down the steps. He tosses his phone over his shoulder walking into the closet to get dressed.

——

Elsa Hemsworth looked up at her husband, Chris Hemsworth, as Sebastian and Harlow walked into the house later that night. "He isn't with them."
Hemsworth nods his head tossing the shot back, "Yea babe, i see that."
Elsa shakes her head walking over to greet her guests. "Harlow"
Harlow grins wrapping her arms around Elsa, "God you are getting gorgeous with each passing day!"
Elsa kisses her cheek as she keeps her close whispering something into her ear.
Sebastian keeps his eyes straight walking over to Hemsworth. "I know that look."
"I have a look?"
"Don't try me Hemsworth I know what you are thinking."
"I don't know solider, you fucking tell me."
Sebastian closes his eyes glaring back at him, "You piece of shit."
"Hey, easy I just got here." Chris grinned walking up to them.
Scarlett walked in behind him as she leaned into his ear, "I am getting a drink, want anything?"
"Not yet, thanks though."
Sebastian shakes his head reaching for another shot when Hemsworth grabs his hand, "Take it easy tonight."
Chris glances back at Sebastian, "Hemsworth is now telling you how much to drink?"
Hemsworth's jaw gets tight as he walks away grabbing Elsa's hand, "i am not a fan of this."
"trust me, none of us are." Elsa muttered back to him.
Harlow glares at Chris then over to Scarlett, "You actually brought her to this?"
"Great, Harlow, you really want to start this now?"
"I don't want to start anything but I will tell you the truth. You are a fucking idiot for doing that to her."
Chris laughs back at her. "Excuse me, I'm doing this to her?"
"You looked her in the eyes and said no matter what you would always come for her,  you would always keep looking for her. And what the past comes back and you just give her up?"
"I didn't give her up, I looked for months! My life was a mess and Scarlett fixed me, she woke me up."
"She fixed you, thats sweet. I remember a couple of years ago she was bouncing beds with Theo. The guy that killed every hope she had for a life."
Chris clenches his jaw looking at her.
"Scarlett is using you for herself. To make herself look good, she doesn't care about the pain you are in or the pain you may be in tomorrow."
Sebastian peeks back at Scarlett watching her.
"You stayed up with her at nights laughing and crying. You gave her hope and now, now she comes home to this?"
"SHE DIDNT WANT ME! SHE RAN OFF! SHE CHOOSE HIM!" Chris finally snapped at her. "She just, she left me."
Harlow covered her face shaking her head, "You idiot, you are a fucking idiot!"
Sebastian walked over to her pulling her in close, "Babe, i think that is enough for today."
Hemsworth cleared his throat turning to the door.
Elsa crossed her arms looking back at me, "Hey darling, I am happy to see you home."
I look at the group putting the wine bottle into Elsa's hands. "Glad to see we are all getting along."
Chris just looked at me when Charlie Blackwood walked in behind me.
Charlie leaned over kissing Elsa on the cheek, "Hey sis." He stopped looking at the circle of eyes. "Who died?"
Chris stepped toward me when he stopped as Scarlett grabbed his arm letting me see the stone.
"Congratulations." I force the smile hiding my own hand as I see his bruise.
"Brooklyn..." Harlow stepped toward me.
"No, it is fine, this is all fine." My bottom lip starts to shake as I move out of the back of the house heading for the beach.
Hemsworth glanced back at Sebastian then back at Harlow.
Chris pulls away from Scarlett, "I told you to take that ring off!"
"Why would i do that?"
"Why in the world would you want them to think I am engaged to you after everything you did to me last year?"
Harlow snapped her head back to them.
Scarlett's brow went up, "You are a bloody idiot."
"Yea, I am and I haven't stopped loving her." He snaps running out the back door after me.